New Kentucky coach Mark Pope landed a pair of commitments via the transfer portal last weekend in Oklahoma’s Otega Oweh and Wake Forest’s Andrew Carr to add to the 2024-25 roster. Pope added San Diego State star guard Lamont Butler to the roster from the transfer portal earlier in the week.
Butler, the 2023-24 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, was the second transfer portal commitment Pope landed this month. Earlier this month, Drexel star forward Amari Williams committed to the Wildcats. Williams, a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year, was the second newcomer UK landed since Pope’s arrival after Collin Chandler flipped his commitment from BYU to Kentucky.Β
Chandler, a member of the 2022 recruiting cycle, spent the last two years on a Mormon mission. He was Pope’s highest-rated signee (No. 33 overall) during his tenure at BYU.Β
With Kentucky star freshman Reed SheppardΒ declaring for the NBA DraftΒ and Joey Hart transferring to Ball State, the Wildcats have zero returning scholarship players remaining.
Four-star guard Billy Richmond decommitted from the Wildcats’ once-heralded recruiting class a few hours after Chandler committed to the Wildcats. Chandler’s commitment comes after several members of UK’s 2024 recruiting class re-opened their recruitments following the departure of coach John Calipari for Arkansas. Travis Perry remains committed to UK, but four top 50 prospects formerly pledged to the Wildcats are now on track to play elsewhere next season.
Pope, who spent the past five seasons as BYU’s coach, played at UK under Rick Pitino from 1994 to 1996 and was a key part of the program’s 1996 national title run. With most of Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster either out of eligibility, in the transfer portal, or headed to the NBA Draft, his first order of business is building a roster for next season.Β
CBS Sports is tracking the status of the Kentucky roster and recruiting class in real time. Here’s where every current UK player and commit currently stand.Β
Incoming transfers
Amari Williams (Transfer from Drexel)
GP:Β 32 |Β GS:Β 32 |Β PPG:Β 12.2 |Β RPG:Β 7.8
The three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year is a valuable addition for Kentucky. Williams brings experience (79 career starts) and will be one of the best defensive players in the SEC from Day 1. Williams has averaged at least 1.8 blocks per game during the last three seasons. Williams shot…
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